CONFUSION WORSE CONFOUNDED

We were traveling by cache coordinates in Georgia, I think, on Wednesday (April 3) when we realized that both Mike’s GPS and Nuvi were confused. They took us off the interstate, which we expected, and then we looped around a country settlement until we came to an unpaved road into woods, but it was gated. Fortunately Mike opted not to hike into that area on foot. Something didn’t seem right.

We tried again and came out on a beautiful four lane highway eerily absent of traffic. I think one car went by in the ten minutes we stood there. I couldn’t help but think that this road was a colossal waste of the taxpayers’ money, but of course, I know nothing about the politics of this area. We were just passing through. Mike found the cache and we thought we were on our way.

Unfortunately, both GPS units were still confused, and we continued this “Twilight Zone” experience by driving sandy back woods roads. It didn’t seem right, but we did it anyway – and this after I vent about people who go off and get lost while using global positioning navigation systems and failing to use rational thought! We passed a parked logging truck and the driver gave us a friendly wave. A mile or so later we drove through a hunting camp and I joked to Mike that somehow we had made it to central Arkansas and “Boiling Pot,” his family’s place on the Ouachita River.

 

When we came out, we were on the back side of that gate mentioned in the first paragraph. Obviously the satellites were persistent in having a bit of sport with us.

There was nothing for it but to turn around and go back. “I hope that log truck driver isn’t there,” I mused aloud. “I hope he is,” said Mike with some force, so that he can give me directions out of here.” Mike got his wish. The truck driver was there and Mike told me to ask him for directions. “Not on your life!” I retorted. "You do the talking." I did roll down my window, and the driver told us to maintain our course and it would take us out – and politely wished us a good day.

“I’ll bet he had a good laugh!” said Mike. But he was polite enough not to laugh in our faces.

I was reminded of some adventures I had with my mother and dad when growing up. They loved a drive into the woods, but sometimes we were temporarily lost in the maze of logging roads. And that was when we didn’t have GPS to “help” us. KW